Child retainer having sounding means



All@ 20 1968 E. L.. BIBEAU ETAL 3,397,482

CHILD RETAINER HAVING SOUNDING MEANS Filed May 5. 1966 INVENTORS. EMA/ EL. /f BY Mae/EL 7." 5755,40,

United States Patent O 3,397,482 CHILD RETAINER HAVING SOUNDING MEANSEmile L. Bibeau and Muriel T. Bibeau, both of Colony Way, Nashua, N.H.03060 Filed May 3, 1966, Ser. No. 547,255 8 Claims. (Cl. 46-175) Thisinvention relates to child restraining or tethering devices, and moreparticularly to a childs tethering device of the type adapted to providelaudible sounds responsive to the movement of a child secu-red to thedevice.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedchild tethering device which is relatively simple in construction, whichis arranged s-o that it may be used outdoors or indoors, which isattractive in appearance, and which is easy to set up for use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved childtethering device of the type provided with means to generate musical orother Vaudible sounds responsive to the movement of a `child tethered tothe device, the device being inexpensive to manufacture, being durablein construction, being highly portable, and being arranged so that itmay either be anchored to the ground for outdoor service or may be usedindoors by being anchored to the floor beneath the caste-r of a piece offurniture.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective view showing an improved child tetheringdevice constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view takensubstantially on the line 2 -2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken transverselythrough an end portion of the tethering device of FIGURE 1 and showingthe details of construction of the anchoring stake member employed withthe device for anchoring same outdoors.

FIGURE 4 is Ia fragmentary elevational view taken substantially lon theline 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional View taken throughthe lower portion of the stake assembly of FIGURE 3, but showing thepivoted spur arm thereof in retracted position.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical crosssectional viewtaken through the end portion of the device of FIGURE 1, andillustrating the manner in which the caster of a piece of furniture isengaged in the recess provided therefor in the base portion of thetethering device.

Referring to the drawing, 11 generally designates an improved childtethering device constructed in accordance with the present invention.The device 11 comprises a supporting base 12 which may be of anysuitable material, either rigid or flexible, and which is generallyelongated in shape, the base being provided with a gcnerally circularforward portion 13 which is somewhat enlarged relative to the remainderof the base. The rear portion of the base 12 is provided with anaperture 14 adapted to receive a ground-anchoring stake 15, presently tobe described. The rear portion of the base is further provided with arecess 16 adapted to receive the caster 17 of an article of furniture18, for anchoring the base against movement when the device is employedindoors. The stake comprises a downwardly-tapering elongated shankportion 19 having the enlarged top head portion 20, the shank portionbeing formed with a substantially central bore 21 which merges with arecess 22 in the lower portion of the shank. Pivoted at 23 in saidrecess ICC is a spur arm 24 which is swingable outwardly and which isdirected upwardly. A rod member 25 is sldablyengaged in the bore 21, therod member having a tapered bottom end 26 which is wedgingly-engageablewith the pivoted spur arm 24, said spur arm being deflected outwardlyresponsive to downward force exerted on the rod member 25. The rodmember 25 is provided with the enlarged head 27 at its top end whichlimits the downward movement of the rod member in the bore 21. A shortlength of flexible cable 28 connects the top portion of the spur arm 24and an upwardly-adjacent portion of the rod member 25, whereby the spurmember 24 may be retracted to the position thereof shown in FIGURE 5 bypulling upwardly on the rod member 25, as where it is desired towithdraw the stake 15 from the ground to disengage same from the flatbase 12.

When the device 11 is to be anchored to the ground, the stake 15 isengaged through the aperture 14 and is driven into the ground, the rodmember 25 being finally pushed downwardly by exerting force on its tophead 27 to swing the spur arm 24 outwardly so as to provide additionalanchoring effect and so as to prevent the stake 15 from being loosenedor easily dislodged from its anchoring position. When it is desired tounfasten the device from the ground, the rod member 25 is pulledupwardly by grasping its enlarged top head 27 and exerting upward force,whereby the flexible cable element 28 pulls the spur arm 24 inwardlyinto the recess 22 substantially to the position of FIGURE 5, allowingthe stake 15 to thereafter be easily pulled out of t-he ground.

Secured substantially concentrically on the enlarged circular portion 13`of base 12 is an upwardly-convex generally hemispherical pedestalelement 30 having a central top boss 31 in which is journaled a verticalswivel pin 32, the bottom end of the swivel pin being provided with acotter pin 33, or similar retaining means, to prevent withdrawal of theswivel pin 32 from the boss 31. The upper portion of the swivel pin 32is enlarged, as shown at 34, and secured thereon is a generallyspherical body 35 forming a part of a toy figure 36, the body 35 beingIhollow and being secured -at its upper portion to an upwardlyconvergent neck portion 37 depending from a generally sphericalsimulated head 38 which is, in turn, integrallyformed with theupwardly-convergent, generally conical lsimulated cap 39. The variouselements 35, 37, 38 and 39 are hollow, and the wh-ole body 36 may bemolded from suitable flexible material, such as rubber, or the like.

Mounted in `the conical cap 39 is a conventional bulb whistle or reeddevice 40 adapted to emit a whistling noise responsive to squeezing ofthe hollow flexible upper portion comprising the neck 37, the head 38,and the cap 39 of the toy body 36.

The generally spherical body portion 35 is formed with ahorizontally-extending tubular chamber 42 opening at the front side ofthe toy body 36. Integrallymolded in the portion 35 substantiallycoaxially with the tubular chamber 42 is an elongated bulb 43 whichextends from the rear wall of porti-on 35 toward the open front end ofthe chamber 42 and which is provided with a conventional bulb whistle 44of the reed type, or any other suitable type. Designated at 47 is a coilspring which surrounds the elongated bulb 43 and which has its rear endturn 48 secured to the rea-r wall of the spherical body portion 35.Secured to the front end turn of the coil spring 47 is a generallycircular rigid cap 49 which normally seats on the annular rim defined atthe front end of the tubular chamber 42, being biased to seatingposition thereon by the force of the coil spring 47. Thus, the rim ofthe tubular chamber 42 limits the inward retraction of the cap 49. Thecap 49 is extensible forwardly, for example, -as shown in dotted view inFIG- URE 2, whereupon the coil spring 47 contracts in diameter, exertingsqueezing pressure on the bulb 43. Whe-n the bulb 43 is squeezed, itcauses the whistle 44 to generate a musical tone or to whistle, similarto the manner in which the bulb whistle member 40 emits a whistlingsound when the top portion of the toy ligure is squeezed.

A exible tether strap S is connected by a length of flexible cable 51 t0the center of the cap 49, whereby an infant may be secured to the cableby means of the conventional fastening strap 50. As will be readilyapparent, when an infant is thus secured to the device, movement of theinfant away from the toy body 36 causes the spring 47 to be extended,for example, as shown in dotted view in FIGURE 2, whereupon the bulb 43is squeezed by the contraction of the turns of the spring, causing theWhistle 44 to generate a musical tone, the intensity thereof dependingupon the rapidity of movement of the infant or child. Since the toy body36 is freely rotatable on the pedestal 30, lche child may move in anydesired direction, the inward and outward movements of the child causingthe spring 47 to be extended and retracted, thereby causing the bulb 43to be alternately squeezed and released, which causes the whistle 44 tointermittently generate whistling tones.

As above-described, the device may be employed either outdoors `byemploying the anchoring stake 15, or may be used indoors, in which casethe base 12 is anchored by engaging a furniture caster 17 in the recess16, as abovedescribed.

While a specific embodiment of an improved child tethering device hasbeen disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood thatvarious modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur tothose skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitationsbe placed on'the invention except as defined by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A child tethering device comprising a supporting base, means toanchor said base against movement, an upstanding hollow toy liguremounted on said base, a bulb whistle device mounted in the ligure, saidWhistle device including a liexible.` bulb, extensible and contractilefastening means surrounding said bulb and secured to the figure at itsinner end and having a free outer end, said fastening means contractingto exert squeezing pressure on the bulb responsive to longitudinalextension of the outer free end of the fastening means, a tether meansadapted to be secured to a child, and means connecting said tether meansto the outer free end of said fastening means.

2. The child tethering device of claim 1, and wherein the hollow toyfigure is swivelly-mounted on the base.

3. The child tethering device of claim 1, and wherein said extensibleand contractile fastening means comprises a coil spring surrounding saidbulb. V,

4. The child tethering device of claim 3, and a cap secured to the outerend of the spring and being engageable with the figure to limit inwardmovement thereof.

5. The child tethering device of claim 3, and wherein said anchor meanscomprises -a stak-e engageable through a portion of the base and havinga pivoted outwardlyswingable upwardly-directed bottom spur arm and meansto deflect said spur arm outwardly after the stake has been driven intothe ground.

6. The child tethering device of claim 5, and wherein said stake has alongitudinal bore extending from the top end of the stake to said spurarm and wherein said deflecting means comprises a rod elementslidably-mounted in the bore and extending above the top end of thestake, the bottom end of the rod element being wedgingly-engageable withsaid spur arm.

7. The child tethering device of claim 6, and flexible cable meansconnecting said spur arm to the rod element, whereby the spur arm can beretracted from an outwardly-swung anchoring position by pulling the rodelement upwardly.

8. The child tethering device of claim 1, and wherein said extensibleand contractile fastening means comprises a coil spring surrounding saidbulb and wherein said supporting base comprises a relatively flatplate-like body, said body being provided with a recess for at timesreceiving said caster wheel of an article of furniture, for anchoringthe base against movement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,088,438 5/1963 Oliphant 119-963,295,501 1/1967 Riley 119-96 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

1. A CHILD TETHERING DEVICE COMPRISING A SUPPORTING BASE, MEANS TOANCHOR SAID BASE AGAINST MOVEMENT, AN UPSTANDING HOLLOW TOY FIGUREMOUNTED ON SAID BASE, A BULB WHISTLE DEVICE MOUNTED IN THE FIGURE, SAIDWHISTLE DEVICE INCLUDING A FLEXIBLE BULB, EXTENSIBLE AND CONTRACTILEFASTENING MEANS SURROUNDING SAID BULB AND SECURED TO THE FIGURE AT ITSINNER END AND HAVING A FREE OUTER END, SAID FASTENING MEANS CONTRACTINGTO EXERT SQUEEZING PRESSURE ON THE BULB RESPONSIVE TO LONGITUDINALEXTENSION OF THE OUTER FREE END OF THE FASTENING MEANS, A TETHER MEANSADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO A CHILD, AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID TETHER MEANSTO THE OUTER FREE END OF SAID FASTENING MEANS.